Holder for electric extension cords



May 24, 1955 R. COTTAR v HOLDER FOR ELECTRIC EXTENSION CORDS Filed May '7, 1954 ATTVJ United States Patent HOLDER FOR ELECTRIC EXTENSION CORDS Robert Cottar, Red Blulf, Calif.

Application May 7, 1954, Serial No. 428,342

Claims. (Cl. 224-45) This invention is directed to, and it is a major object to provide, a novel device for receiving and holding a coiled electric extension cord; the purpose of the device being to maintain the cord in a coil which is compact, and easy to store or transport, and which coil is effectively prevented from tangling.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a holder, for the purpose described, which is arranged so that when the cord is disposed in coiled relation on the holder, the individual loops of such coil are maintained-at the top of the latter-in a vertical stack or row to permit of unrestricted and convenient removal of the loops individually and successively from the holder. With this arrangement the loops of the cord can be removed from the holder in whole or in part, depending on whether the entire cord is desired for use, or only a portion of its length.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a holder, for electric extension cords, which includes a novel hanger assembly which receives the coil of cord; there being a handle upstanding from said assembly for the purpose of manually supporting the device while placing the cord in, or removing it from, said device, or when transporting the coiled cord from place to place.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder, for electric extension cords, which is simple in structure,

designed for ease and economy of manufacture, and

relatively light weight, yet durable for the intended purpose.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable holder for electric extension cords, and one which will be exceedingly effective for thepurpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the device as in use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device, with the channel member being mainly broken away and shown in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the device comprises an upstanding but relatively short handle 1 formed at its upper end with an enlarged knob 2, which prevents the handle 1 from accidently escaping downwardly through the hand which grasps said handle.

At its lower end the handle 1 merges with, and supports, a vertically elongated, cord receiving hanger assembly, indicated generally at 3, said assembly comprising the following:

A vertically elongated, rearwardly facing channel memher 4 is rigid with, and depends from, the handle 1; such channel member having a relatively wide, fiat front face 5, and full length side flanges 6 which project rearwardly in right angle relation.

A vertically elongated spring clip, indicated generally 'ice at 7 and formed of spring metal wire or rod, cooperates with the channel member 4 for substantially the full length of the latter, and such spring clip comprises, in front of said member, a pair of parallel, transversely spaced, front legs 8 connected together at the upper end by a top cross member 9, which cross member, together With the immediately adjacent portions of the legs 8, is outturned to form a lip, indicated generally at 10.

Directly rearwardly of the lip 10 the lower end of the handle 1 is formed with a downwardly and rearwardly inclined face 11, whereby said face and the lip 10 define a throat 12.

At their lower ends the front legs 8 are connected to cular, lower ends 14, which ends extend-in front to rear loose-play relation-through corresponding notches 15 in the channel member 4.

From the lower ends 14 the rear legs 13 extend upwardly within the channel member 4 to the top thereof, and at such point the legs 13 are formed with alined, laterally outwardly projecting fingers 16 which extend through holes 17 in the side flanges 6.

The rear legs 13, in the upper half thereof, are bowed forwardly, as at 18, and bear against the back side of the channel member 4, thus constantly urging the front legs 8 rearwardly toward the face of said channel member.

In use of the above described device an electric extension cord, indicated generally at 19, is engaged in the hanger assembly 3 by inserting the top of the loops 20 of said cord successively between the front legs 8 of spring clip 7, and the front face 5 of the channel member 4; such loops, as they are progressively entered into the device, through the throat 12 defined between the lip 10 and inclined face 11, forming a vertical row or stack, as shown in full in Fig. l, and in part in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The vertical row or stack seats at the bottom on the lower ends 14 of the spring clip 7.

The tops of the loops 20 are maintained in such vertical row, and against up-or-down displacement relative to each other, by reason of the rearward force imparted to the front legs 8 by the bowed spring portions 18 of the rear legs 13 hearing against the back side of the channel member 4.

With the electric cord 19 engaged in the hanger assembly 3, as above, the loops 20 all depend from the device ,without tangling, and such loops, beginning with the uppermost one, can be readily and conveniently removed from the device for use of the electric cord 19. All of the electric cord 19 may be removed from the device, or if only part of its length is needed for use certain of the loops 20 may be permitted to remain in engagement between the spring clip 7 and the channel member 4; the plug 21 always being at the end of the uppermost loop so that it is removed first for engagement in a socket.

In order to prevent accidental escape of any of the loops 20 from the device when the electric cord 19 is engaged thereon, there is provided a safety chain 22 anchored at the upper end of one side flange 6 by means of a bolt 23. The chain thence extends transversely in intersecting relation to the upper end portion of the spring clip 7, but below the lip 10. The initially free end of the safety chain 22 is engaged over a catch or hook 24 which projects laterally outwardly from the upper end of the side flange 6 opposite the bolt 23. In order to maintain proper tension on the chain 22 a spring 25 is interposed in said chain.

With the chain 22 engaged with the hook 24, such chain-under the influence of the spring 25-engages relatively tightly about the upper end of the spring clip 7 and prevents any of the loops 20 of the cord 19 from escaping through the throat 12.

By reason of the fact that the lower ends 14 are engaged/ in notches 15, it isv impossible for the lowermost loop to pass under the channel member 4 and thus possibly catch or become hard to remove from the device.

With the described device an electric cord 19 can be maintained in a non-tangling coil, with all of the loops 20' held in a predetermined relationship and against displacement one relative to the other.

As engaged with the device the electric cord 19 can be readily stored or manually transported for use; removal of the cord in whole or in part for such use being accomplished easily after the safety chain 22 is detached from the hook 2 4.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A holder for a coiled electric extension cord, comprising an upstanding member, an upstanding spring clip disposed adjacent and in front of the member, the clip being adapted to maintain a vertical row of loops of the coiled cord between said clip and member, means between the lower end of the clip and the member connecting the same and forming a closure therebetween, a flexible ho1ding element connected at one end to the member at one side thereof adjacent the upper end of the clip, and a quick-detachable connection between the other end of the element and the other side of the member to form a releasable closure for the upper end of the clip.

2. A holder for a coiled electric extension cord, comprising an upstanding member, an upstanding spring clip disposed adjacent and in front of the member, the clip being adapted to maintain a vertical row of loops of the coiled cord between said clip and member, a rear spring leg disposed rearwardly of the member, an integral lower end element connecting the clip and said rear leg in freeplay relation to the lower end of the member, and means connecting the rear leg to the member at a point above said lower end; said member having a front-to-rear opening in its lower end through which said lower-end element extends in movable relation, said opening being a downwardly opening notch and said lower-end element being substantially semi-circular with the lower portion thereof in said notch.

3. A holder for a coiled electric extension cord, comprising an upstanding member, an upstanding spring clip Cal disposed adjacent and in front of the member, the clip being adapted to maintain a vertical row of loops of the coiled cord between said clip and member, a rear spring leg disposed rearwardly of the member, an integral lower end element connecting the clip and said rear leg in freeplay relation to the lower end of the member, means connecting the rear leg to the member at a point above said lower end, and a portion of the rear leg between said lower end element and said point being bowed forwardly into spring engagement with the back side of said member.

4. A holder for a coiled electric extension cord, comprising an upstanding channel member including a front face and rearwardly projecting side flanges, a pair of upstanding, transversely spaced spring metal front legs disposed adjacent and in front of said face, a cross member connecting the front legs at the top, a pair of spring metal rear legs disposed in the channel member, integral lower end elements connecting corresponding front and rear legs adjacent and in freely movable relation to the lower end of the channel member, means connecting the rear legs at their upper ends to corresponding side flanges, and forwardly bowed portions in said rear legs spring engaging the back of said channel member whereby to urge the front legs toward the face of the channel member in holding engagement with a vertical row of loops of the coiled cord engaged between said front legs and face.

5. A holder for a coiled electric extension cord, comprising an upstanding channel member including a front face and rearwardly projecting side flanges, a pair of upstanding, transversely spaced spring metal front legs disposed adjacent and in front of said face, a cross member connecting the front legs at the top, a pair of spring metal rear legs disposed in the channel member, integral lower end elements connecting corresponding front and rear legs adjacent and in freely movable relation to the lower end of the channel member, means connecting the rear legs at their upper ends to corresponding side flanges, forwardly bowed portions in said rear legs spring engaging the back of said channel member whereby to urge the front legs toward the face of the channel member in holding engagement with a vertical row of loops of the coiled cord engaged between said front legs and face, and a handle rigid with and upstanding from the upper end of the channel member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,427,801 McKee Sept. 23, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 541,707 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1941 

